“Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
—Abraham Lincoln
As parents, we were beaming with pride that our son had reached the major milestone of homeownership—yet also wondering how in the world we could have a ‘child’ old enough to own a home!
His enthusiasm was infectious. It wasn’t just the thrill of being a new homeowner; it was the boundless dreams he carried for transforming his new abode. Perhaps the sweetest music to our ears was hearing the diligence and thoroughness of his planning and preparation.
You never know what’s going to rub off on your kids. Our boys were raised in a turn-of-the-century homestead, a house where home improvement projects were simply part of life. And they were always in the mix—demo, sanding, priming, you name it.
Of course, beyond bricks and mortar, what has become clear is that both our sons have learned an important life lesson: doing the prep work is critical. Diligent preparation doesn’t just make a project smoother, it becomes a way of approaching life.
Preparation, however, is not only practical wisdom but also an integral part of our spiritual journey. From cover to cover in our sacred story, there is a consistent calling to embrace the spiritual practice of “preparing the way of the Lord”. As with home projects—and so many other aspects of life—when we embrace the disciplines of preparation, the spiritual life deepens as we take time to clear space, name our longings, and prepare room for God’s transforming presence.